Trump rails against ‘AOC of Tennessee’ in election eve call to boost Van Epps amid fears for House GOP majority
President Trump went out and phone‑batted Tennessee voters, taking aim at the “AOC of Tennessee” to try to lift Republican Matt Van Epps in a special election that could tip the balance of the GOP floor. While on the line, Trump called House Speaker Mike Johnson (R‑La.), who’s campaigning alongside Van Epps, warning that a loss would threaten the party’s slim majority in the chamber.
“In Franklin, the electric atmosphere felt real,” Trump told a group of voters on speakerphone. “Remember, he’s got a majority of three. There aren’t many people who can do that. But we have to win this seat.” He went on to say, “The whole world is watching Tennessee right now, and they’re watching your district. It’s got to show that the Republican Party is stronger.”
The president didn’t hold back on Aftyn Behn, calling her the “AOC of Tennessee” and recalling a five‑year‑old podcast in which she harshly criticized country music. “The Democrats are spending a fortune, and we don’t want people that want to raise your taxes,” Trump said. “But she said two things above all else that bothered me. Number one, she hates Christianity. Number two, she hates country music.” He continued, “How the hell can you elect a person like that? I just want to give my total support, and he’s had it right from the beginning to Matt Van Epps. He’s going to be a fantastic congressman.”
A tweet from Fox News summarised the rally, quoting Trump’s criticism of Behn’s stance on religion and music. Throughout the campaign, GOP strategists highlighted Behn’s left‑leaning record, including her 2019 op‑ed in The Tennessean calling the state “racist” and her support for defunding police the following year. They also dredged up her scathing commentary on Nashville from a podcast five years back, an irony given that District 7 includes parts of the city.
“In that episode, she said, ‘I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the things that make Nashville apparently an ‘it’ city to the rest of the country. But I hate it.’”
Last year, Trump comfortably carried Tennessee’s 7th District by 22 points, but recent polling shows the new race is close. An Emerson College survey found Van Epps with 48% to Behn’s 46%, well within the margin of error. If the GOP loses the seat, their holding on the House could narrow to zero votes in the spring, especially with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R‑Ga.) retiring in January and upcoming special elections for two formerly GOP seats.
A zero‑vote margin would leave the party unable to tolerate any defections on partisan bills, a problem that has already surfaced as Rep. Thomas Massie (Libertarian‑leaning) has frequently crossed the floor. Trump has announced another tele‑rally later Monday, as the special election will fill the vacancy left by former Rep. Mark Green (R‑Tenn.) who left office in the summer.
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